Britepaths' Food Bridge Program provides regular deliveries of food and/or grocery store gift cards to 80 families in the Fairfax County area for six to nine months while they work to overcome a financial crisis. Most are working with mentors and coaches in our Financial Literacy and Workforce Development programs. We also assist approximately 300 families per year with emergency food when their cupboards are bare. Many of the families we serve are working hard but struggling to make ends meet in our expensive area.
Update, 7/12/21: We are preparing to reopen our Food Pantry to provide food and supplies to families in crisis and have an URGENT need for pantry donations. Read below to learn how you can help. Read the Connection Article.
Can You Help Our Food Bridge Families?
Our greatest need is grocery store gift cards to help our families purchase fresh foods that meet their children's dietary needs. Many of our families also receive financial education through Britepaths, and grocery cards help put the budgeting skills they are learning to work.
donate
Donate to help us purchase grocery gift cards at a bulk discount. All funds donated on this secure page will provide grocery cards to local families to help fill gaps in our food delivery calendar, assist those who are on the waitlist for our delivered food program and provide emergency assistance. You may also mail a check made payable to "Britepaths" to Britepaths, 3959 Pender Drive, Suite 200, Fairfax, VA 22030. Be sure to write "Food Bridge" in the memo line. Donation Form (MS Word) (PDF)
Other Ways to Help:
- Run a Grocery Store Gift Card Drive Click Here for information on running a gift card drive or food drive virtually or in your neighborhood/organization to help our families. Note we do not recommend collecting at grocery stores at this time.
- Be a Food Bridge Supporting Organization We need local organizations to collect and mail grocery cards to Food Bridge families each Sunday. If you are interested in learning how your organization can be a Food Bridge Supporter once or twice a year, contact cgarris@britepaths.org.
Donate to Our Pantry
Our address: 3959 Pender Drive, Suite 200, Fairfax, VA 22030; Phone: 703.273.8829
Our pantry is in our office in Fairfax near Rte. 50/66. We generally accept pantry donations and gift cards on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Directions to Our Office.
Please Call Ahead! We've listed our typical office hours, but this can vary sometimes. We cannot promise to be available to receive your donation if we don't know in advance that it's coming! Please contact 703.273.8829 or info@britepaths.org to coordinate the time and date of your delivery.
Another Option: Order most-needed items through our Amazon Wish List, and they will be delivered straight to our pantry! Ordering through Amazon? Log in via our Amazon Smile page, and you'll help even more – for this, and any Amazon purchases you make!
Most-Needed Items
Note: We are in great need of Reusable Grocery Bags to send the food and supplies home with our families.
Food
- Cereal (healthy types with less sugar, please!)
- Cooking oil
- Rice
- Pasta and pasta sauce
- Parmesan cheese (shelf-stable)
- Fruit cups in 100% juice
- Snacks -- healthy foods such as crackers, pretzels, popcorn and granola/cereal bars
- Dried/canned beans
- Peanut butter
- Jam/jelly
- Oatmeal in canisters
- Pancake mix and syrup
NOTE: We cannot use items that have been opened, cans that are dented or ANY food that is past its expiration date.
Household/Hygiene Items
- Laundry detergent
- Toilet paper
- Shampoo/Conditioner
- Body wash/bars of soap
- Toothpaste/toothbrushes
- Razors
- All-purpose cleaners/Windex
- Cleaning supplies (eg. scrub sponges)
- Paper towels
NOTE: For hygiene products and toiletries, full-size (versus travel size) products are preferred.
Baby Items
- Diapers size 5 and 6, and Pull-Ups sizes 3T-4T and 4T-5T
- Baby wipes
- Baby shampoo
- Baby lotion
